Free pattern: Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders with Heat Transfer Vinyl Tutorial

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #cricutmade #expressionsvinylBack in April, I was introduced to several bloggers who work with Expressions Vinyl at the Snap! Conference. I’ve always been intrigued by vinyl, but I also found it intimidating.

This post contains affiliate links. This post is sponsored by Expressions Vinyl but all opinions and thoughts are my own. Additional materials for this project were generously provided by Cricut and Wool and the Gang.

After chatting with many vinyl-loving ladies at Snap!, I discovered that vinyl could do even more than I thought it could, and I was determined to get my hands on some for experimentation purposes. The ladies from Expressions Vinyl stepped in and shared a Blogger’s Pack with samples of 7 different types of vinyl.Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmadeThe Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl in Jade (at the top) called out to me immediately, but the perfect project didn’t come to mind right away.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmadeWith the holidays around the corner, I’ve had gift card holders on my mind for the past few weeks. I realized the Jade was perfect for personalizing a gift card holder for the holiday season, and this crochet pattern and tutorial were born! The heat transfer vinyl pairs perfectly with the Wool and the Gang Billie Jean upcycled denim yarn, but if you decide to make a yarn substitution, be sure to choose a 100% cotton or 100% denim yarn for safety reasons.

If you’re new to vinyl, as I was, I’ve included detailed steps to make your first project a success.

If you make your own Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, I’d love to see them! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!

Add the Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders to your Ravelry favorites or queue.

Underground Crafter on RavelryIf you want an easy print format, you can buy an ad-free PDF version on Craftsy.

Underground Crafter on Craftsy

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders

Crochet Pattern with Heat Transfer Vinyl Tutorial by Underground Crafter

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash!

Finished Sizes

  • Standard (Large) Gift Card Holder.
    • Standard: Approximately 4” (10 cm) wide x 3” (7.5 cm) assembled and folded.
    • Large: Approximately 4” (10 cm) wide x 5.5” (14 cm) assembled and folded.

Materials (Makes one in each size)

  • Wool and the Gang Billie Jean (60% upcycled denim/40% upcycled raw cotton, 3.5 oz/100 g/148 yd/135 m) – 1 skein in Dirty Denim, or approximately 100 yd (91.5 m) in any medium weight 100% cotton or 100% denim yarn.
  • US Size H-8/5 mm crochet hook, or size needed to obtain gauge.
  • Yarn needle.
  • 2 – 0.75” (2 cm) sew through buttons.
  • Cricut Explore Air and Cricut Design Space (or other electronic cutting machine with design software), or pencil, scissors, and letter stencil.
  • Expressions Vinyl Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl – 1 sheet in Jade, or approximately 9” (23 cm) x 3” (8 cm) piece of any glitter heat transfer vinyl.
  • Cricut Tools Weeder.
  • Clover Mini Iron, or standard sized iron.
  • Teflon pressing sheet (optional).
  • Ironing board or other iron-safe surface.


Gauge

  • 16 sts in pattern = 4” (10 cm). Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

  • ch – chain
  • dc – double crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • rep – repeat
  • sc – single crochet
  • sk – skip
  • sp – space
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • t-ch – turning chain
  • * Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.

Pattern Notes

  • Gift card holders are crocheted flat in rows and then seamed. Heat transfer vinyl is applied to back of gift card holder. To finish, attach buttons.

Pattern Instructions

Gift Card Holder

  • Ch 18 (or any multiple of 3 sts + 3. If adjusting chain, be sure that it is wider than gift card to start).
  • Row 1: Turn, sk 2 ch (counts as sc), (hdc, dc) in next ch, *sk 2 ch, (sc, hdc, dc) in next ch; rep from * across to last 3 ch, sk 2 ch, sc in last ch. (16 sts)
  • Row 2: Turn, ch 1 (counts as sc), (hdc, dc) in same st, *sk 2 sts, (sc, hdc, dc) in next st; rep from * across to last 3 sts, sk 2 sts, sc in t-ch.
  • Rep Row 2 until gift card holder measures approximately 3”/5” (7.5 cm/13 cm) from start.
  • Row 3: Turn, ch 1, working in back loop only across this row, sc in same st and each st across.
  • Rep Row 2 until gift card holder measures approximately 3”/5” (7.5 cm/13 cm) from ridge formed by unworked front loops on Row 3.
  • Row 4: Turn, ch 1, working in front or back loop only (so that ridge of unworked stitches will be on same side as Row 3 ridge), sc in same st and each st across.

Make front flap

  • Row 5-6: Rep Row 2 twice.

Form buttonholes

  • Row 7: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and next 6 sts, ch 3, sk 2 sts, sc in next 7 sts.
  • Row 8: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and next 6 sts, 3 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in next 7 sts. Fasten off.

Assemble gift card holder

  • Cut a piece of yarn measuring approximately 12” (30.5 cm). Thread yarn needle with thread.
  • Fold gift card holder at Row 3 so that unworked front loops face the outside of holder.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

  • With wrong sides facing together, use yarn to whipstitch side of holder closed. (If you’re not familiar with the whipstitch, see this tutorial.)
  • Repeat seam on other side. With yarn needle, weave in ends.

Cut heat transfer vinyl (with electronic cutting machine)

  • With your electronic cutting machine design software, create letters approximately 2” (5 cm) wide/tall using the recipient’s initials. (I used the Noah’s ABC Animals font, available free with Cricut Access subscription in Cricut Design Space.)

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

  • Use the “mirror image” function to flip the letters for heat transfer vinyl.
  • Program your machine to cut vinyl.
  • Place the heat transfer vinyl on your cutting mat with the shiny side down and the clear, carrier sheet side up.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

  • Once the letters are cut, use the weeder to gently remove the excess vinyl and expose your letters.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

  • Continue on to instructions for applying vinyl.

Cut heat transfer vinyl (by hand)

  • Use stencil and pencil to outline letters on clear, carrier side of vinyl.
  • Cut letters out with scissors.
  • Continue on to instructions for applying vinyl.

 

Apply vinyl to gift card holders

  • Place gift card holders with front side down on ironing board or covered surface.
  • Position vinyl letter on back side of gift card holder with clear, carrier side of vinyl facing up and vinyl facing gift card holder.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

  • Using mini iron, press down on carrier side of vinyl until you can see vinyl begin to remove from carrier sheet. Gently remove carrier sheet. If vinyl letter isn’t properly affixed, cover gift card holder with Teflon pressing sheet to apply more heat.

Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, free crochet pattern with heat transfer vinyl tutorial by Underground Crafter | These unisex gift card holders add a personalized, handmade touch to an otherwise impersonal gift. These are also a great way to use up small remnants of yarn and buttons from your stash! It's also a great beginner project for those new to heat transfer vinyl. #expressionsvinyl #cricutmade

Adding button

  • With front side of gift card holder facing you, position button so that it fits through buttonhole with flap closed.
  • With yarn needle and yarn, sew button to gift card holder.

Finishing

  • With yarn needle, weave in ends.
  • Insert gift card inside of the holder.
  • Button closed.
© 2016 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This pattern is for personal use only. You may use the pattern to make unlimited items for yourself, for charity, or to give as gifts. You may sell items you personally make by hand from this pattern. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this pattern, the photos, or the tutorial in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the pattern, point your friends to this link: http://undergroundcrafter.com/2016/12/10/personalized-denim-gift-card-holders-with-vinyl-tutorial. Thanks for supporting indie designers!

If you make your own Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders, I’d love to see them! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!

Add the Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders to your Ravelry favorites or queue.

Underground Crafter on RavelryIf you want an easy print format, you can buy an ad-free PDF version on Craftsy.

Underground Crafter on Craftsy

5 thoughts on “Free pattern: Personalized Denim Gift Card Holders with Heat Transfer Vinyl Tutorial”

  1. Awesome project, perfect for gifts. I have a bunch of little purses like this in my larger pocketbook to keep everything organized. Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty #ccbg

    Reply

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